Warning: contains spoilers for Green Lantern #9!
John Stewart is one of the greatest Green Lanterns, and now, thanks to an upgrade, he is even more powerful than Superman. Throughout recent issues of Green Lantern, it has become clear Stewart is more than a regular Green Lantern, showing powers and abilities beyond anything seen before, and in issue #9, on sale now in print and digital, after an epic battle with a New God, he learns the extent of his new powers.
John Stewart first appeared in 1972’s Green Lantern #87, created by the legendary Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams. Stewart was introduced as a backup Green Lantern, to be called into action should something happen to Hal Jordan. Stewart has served as Earth’s primary Green Lantern on several occasions and has gained a reputation on par with Hal Jordan’s. Recently, the Green Lantern Corps was attacked, in a move that destroyed the Central Power Battery and depowered almost the entire Corps. Stewart was affected, losing his powers like many others. However, Lonar, of New Genesis, appeared to Stewart and began taking him on an odyssey through time and space, taking him to Oa in ancient times, letting him witness the battle between the Oans and the forces of Apokolips, including a young Darkseid. Every step of the way, Lonar has hinted at a grand destiny for John Stewart, and readers can now see the beginnings of Stewart’s grand journey. Green Lantern #9 is written by Geoffrey Thorne, with art by Tom raney, Marco Santucci and Maria Laura Sanapo, colors by Michael Atiyeh and letters by Rob Leigh.
On the Lightbringer World, John Stewart is facing the Lightbringer’s hordes, under the command of Esak, of New Genesis. Esak’s legions are able to overwhelm John Stewart, leaving him unconscious. After they depart, Stewart wakes up, no worse for the wear. Commenting on his situation, Stewart says he should feel tired, but instead feels “like Superman.” Lonar informs him matter-of-factly that Kryptonians only collect solar energy, but Ascended individuals, such as Stewart, can tap into all cosmic energy forces. Stewart had been using the Emotional Spectrum, since it was what he knew best.
Esak and the Lightbringers were able to defeat Stewart in this issue—but only because Stewart was not aware of the power he possessed. Lonar mentioned that Stewart, as someone who has “Ascended,” can harness all the cosmic energies of the DC Universe. Stewart’s years of training and experiences as a Green Lantern have prepared him to use the Emotional Spectrum, but what happens when he branches out and uses other forces? What other forces can John Stewart use? The Speed Force would be ideal and the good Stewart could do wielding both the Emotional Spectrum and the Speed Force would be epic. DC has identified several different cosmic energy sources, of which the Spectrum and Speed Force are a part of, including Crisis energy—can Stewart use these as well?
Superman is one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe thanks to his ability to harness and utilize solar energy, but Green Lantern John Stewart is now more powerful, able to tap into the fundamental forces of the DC Universe.